Alonso Asks Lawmakers For "Flexibility" In Funding; Leaders Reluctant

Baltimore City School CEO Andres Alonso responds to criticism of his school construction block grant proposal. Download This File

Baltimore City Schools CEO Andres Alonso testifies before the Baltimore City House Delegation in Annapolis. (Photo by WBAL's Robert Lang)

Baltimore City Schools CEO says his main request regarding school construction doesn't involve more money, just a plan that he believes will give the school system more flexibility in how the money is spent.

Alonso appeared today before the Baltimore City Delegation to the House of Delegates to call for legislation that would award Baltimore City's school construction dollars in block grant form, rather than have the money tied to a specific project.

Alonso says the block grant money would allow the school system to borrow more money from the private sector to complete a ten year $2.4-billion effort to renovate or replace against school buildings.

The school board approved the plan this week.

Under the plan, 26 school buildings would be closed over the next ten years, because Alonso said they would be underutilized.

Money from the city's bottle tax would also help to pay some of the cost.

Alonso told lawmakers with the block grants, the city could repair more school buildings in a shorter amount of time.

"The increase in cost, the increase in the needs will always be outrunning what we're doing by an extraordinary amount. This is really about a very smart way of looking at the need," Alonso told lawmakers.

The chairman of the Baltimore City Delegations, Democratic Del. Curt Anderson says the city delegation, "is unanimously behind this effort."

However, both Senate President Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch expressed some skepticism.

At a Baltimore Business Journal forum earlier this week, Miller said the block grants may ultimately increase the debt load of the city, and state taxpayers may ultimately be responsible for paying off that debt.

"You don't borrow debt against debt. I mean it is ridiculous," Miller said.

"Baltimore City cannot make its current fiscal obligations. We need to find a way to help the city help itself," he added.

At the same forum, Busch agreed that the plan needs to be "scrutinized."

Both Alonso and Anderson believe the proposal is legal, though no other jurisdiction in the state receives school construction money in block grant form.

Alonso told WBAL News that he is willing to meet with lawmakers to convince them to support the proposal.

"I think if anybody has a concern it means that we haven't explained what we're doing well enough. We haven't communicated. We haven't articulated with enough specificity, so the course of action is to go back, ask the questions and respond to their concerns," Alonso added.